Iris
by AngelWing1138
Summary: You are the proof...That I existed. Live, okay? [oneshot]


A/N:...I AM SECRETLY EMO AND A MASOCHIST OKAY!? _(cries)_

Disclaimer: Cloud and Zack belong to Square Enix...BUT THEY BELONG IN MY HEART FOREVER!!!!!! _(sobs)

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__And I don't want the world to see me...'Cause I don't think that they'd understand...When everything's meant to be broken...I just want you to know who I am...-_Goo Goo Dolls, _Iris_

He flinched as he felt the first drops of a shower hit his cheek, before his mind blanked for a moment, suddenly realizing _he could feel the rain_.

Blinking eerily glowing blue eyes, Cloud Strife stiffened as he heard footsteps walking towards him. He closed his eyes, trying to relax and seem the part of 'dead' as best as he could, and it seemed to have work because one of the men—gruff sounding, careless to the situation, sounding like he'd done something awesome like score the hot waitress at the dirtiest pub in the slums—just muttered to leave him alone since he was as good as dead. This made other people who were there laugh and the footsteps passed by him without pause, fading away quickly as the rain stopped and started randomly. Once he was sure that there was no one there anymore, Cloud shifted from his fallen position, lifting himself onto his knees and looking up with his eerie eyes at the prone figure at the edge of the cliff.

His eyes widened, recognizing the sword the person clung to in a vice grip; recognized the blood soaked uniform, and with strength he didn't possess but pretended to, he half crawled, half dragged himself to his best friend and commanding officer Zack Fair, barely breathing as he bled.

He clumsily made it to his side, lifting himself onto his knees and slumping down in the effort, dead tired but victorious as he at least sat up. He looked down at Zack's darkening glowing violet eyes, and the ex-SOLDIER smiled at him weakly; something caught in his throat to see the usually happy-go-lucky exuberant First Class SOLIDER look so weak and pitiful now. With shaky hands the blonde reached a gloved hand out to touch his face, fingertips light on frail-looking pale skin; blood smearing on the black leather and on the flesh as he wiped a finger down to see if it was recent blood or old blood. He winced; recent. He should've known better than to think it old, Zack stunk of rust and salt...

"Hey, Spike," his voice was weak and soft, but it caught Cloud's attention immediately; Zack was the only one to ever call him 'Spike' after all. "Looks like I have to break my promise, huh...?" He laughed a bit, but it got stuck in his throat and instead turned to a short fit of violent coughing. He coughed up some blood and Cloud winced, pulling his hand away from his face at seeing Zack in such a state; almost as if he could catch dying like a disease of some sort. "We're just outside of Midgar, too...! Almost made it..."

"Zack..." Cloud mumbled his name softly like he always did when he was unsure what Zack was talking about. "We can still make it to Midgar...We're just outside of it. And...And then we can become mercenaries, like you said we would..." His voice was course from misuse for at least five years; five blurry, unknown years that Cloud couldn't for the life of him remember, but his gut told him he never wanted to remember. He looked down at the soft sound of Zack's laughter, looking at him with wide blue, innocent eyes.

"You remember that, eh...?" He mumbled, smiling at him a little stronger than he had the first time. "Guess I wasn't just prattling to myself..." He laughed again, shoulders shaking weakly before he looked at Cloud again. His smile softened then, and he reached up with his good hand, wrapping his fingers gently around his neck as he forced Cloud to rest his cheek on his bleeding chest; he would've much preferred his non-bleeding side, but he didn't have a lot of options with which side Cloud was sitting on, so the blonde would have to deal. Once Cloud was bent over him, he ran his glove covered fingers through his hair, almost contemplating what words he wanted to say.

"Cloud...I want you to live happily, alright?" He spoke after a few moments, looking at the sky as he spoke; the rain was beating down steadily now, beating against the Buster sword and his skin, making the blood on him drip down his clothes and armour in ribbons; watery, loose and uncontrollable, smearing on Cloud's skin and hair. "Find yourself a girl...Get married...Have a lot of kids." He smiled a little. "Hell, name your first son 'Zachary' and tell him his namesake was the coolest person you ever met..." He grinned at that, and he thought he saw the corners of what he could see of Cloud's lips lift. "Just...Live. Live happily." He rubbed the blonde spikes as he always had, hand dropping to the ground uselessly as he lost feeling in it.

Cloud lifted his head, looking at Zack with sad eyes; a smear of blood on his cheek, staining his hair. Zack looked at him with gentle eyes, and Cloud leaned forward, kissing him softly; Zack returning it. The blonde then pulled back, blushing a little and Zack laughed hoarsely. "Always the shy one...Get an older girl." He teased, grinning. "She'll be able to take care of you...For me."

"Zack..."

"You know..." Zack interrupted, ignoring him as he slowly lifted his sword, handle towards Cloud; his eyes were foggy, but contemplating. "...The proof that I ever existed...Is you." He looked at Cloud, holding the Buster sword for the blonde to take. Cloud slowly grasped the handle with both hands, Zack pushing it slightly towards him as his arm dropped to the ground and he lay there motionlessly. "So you have to survive for me..."

"...I'll live out both our lives..." Cloud promised quietly; looking at his best friend, his first real friend; the only one that had ever cared...His lover, partner...His everything. "I'll do everything you ever wanted to do...So that you can do it, too...Through me." Zack smiled then, and nodded, closing his eyes quietly.

"I'd like that..."


End file.
